Lagos Police urge voters to ignore videos threatening their security at guber polls

ARINZE NWAFOR, Lagos

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP, Idowu Owohunwa has urged voters to ignore messages threatening voters in videos which had surfaced online a few hours before the March 18 governorship and state houses of assembly polls.

He also ordered the Lagos Police Cybercrimes Unit to investigate the “incendiary and inciting videos.”

Prominent among the incendiary videos ahead of the elections is a clip showing a Lagos state All Progressives Congress (APC) member, Musiliu Akinsanya also known as MC Oluomo, asking voters to stay at home if they will not vote for the APC.

The video had since been generating controversy, as Akinsanya made reference to voters of Igbo extraction.

Responding, Owohunwa told voters to disregard the videos and proceed to exercise their franchise.

“Adequate and improved security has been emplaced at various polling units and collation centres across the state,” he said.

The police warned members of the public to refrain from “fomenting trouble before, during and after the elections to steer clear of such or have the full weight of the law to contend with.”

Asides from the warning, the authorities promised to deal with those who made such videos in accordance with the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act 2015.

The CP also assured of transparency in the investigation, as he promised that the outcome will be made open for public accountability.

The authorities gave three contact details, 08127155132, 08065154338, 08063299264, and 08039344870 so that Lagosians can report any infraction relating to the security of the electoral process.